Drink Here Now: 5 Places to Sip This Week

1) Noe Valley Wine WalkIf you’re planning to stroll through Noe Valley this Thursday, prepare to be pampered by local merchants. The Third Annual Noe Valley Wine Walk will be taking over 24th Street from Diamond to Chattanooga, from 4 to 8 pm. Buy tickets online for $20 or at the event for $25. Pick up a Tasting Wristband on 24th street between Noe and Castro or between Sanchez and Vicksburg, and receive a wine glass, plus a map of all the tasting locations. Wander from restaurant to bar to gift store to salon to neighborhood business office, sampling wine, finger foods, and special treats. The event is hosted by the Noe Valley Merchants Association and Steven Restivo Event Services.

2) Boogie on your Lunch BreakDitch your desk and boogie down this Friday at a secret location in SoMa. Absolut Vodka sponsors this lunchtime, hour-long dance party, which kicks off at 1 pm with DJ Nickodemus. Enjoy a complimentary cocktail, dance off the calories, and take a free lunch back to the office. (They really have thought of everything!) The Absolut Lunch Break Daytime DJ Dance Party is free and open to anyone 21 and over, but RSVP is required, if you want to know where to find it.

3) Blackbird Bar Gets a MakeoverIt may not feel like summer, but that hasn’t stopped Blackbird Bar from embracing the spirit of the season. They’ve completed a summer remodeling project and launched an Indian Summer Cocktail Menu, which means you can shoot pool while drinking a refreshingly irreverent cocktail. Nice Melons ($8) is a mixture of Vodka, Contratto Bianco, Melon, Lemon and Honey. Rye N. Gosling ($10) combines Gosling’s Rum, Yellow Chartreuse and Old Overholt Rye with Averna, Lime, Lactart and Cream Soda. Adios My Friend ($11) is an oak-aged and dangerous combination of Calle 23 Blanco Tequila, El Peloton Mezcal, Sotol Reposado, Bacanora, Dry Curacao, and Luxardo Bitters. Blackbird Bar, located at 2124 Market Street (@ Church), opens at 3 pm on weekdays and 2 pm on weekends and hosts a happy hour every weekday from 5 to 8 pm.

4) Bacon and Beer FestivalSan Francisco’s first Bacon and Beer Festival is coming this Sunday, August 25, from 2:30 to 5 pm, and we know what you’re thinking: “Two great things that taste great together! Why did no one think of this before?” Our response: “Who really cares, now that it’s here?” Join Bison Organic Beer, @eatboston, and a bevy of Bay Area restaurants for bacon-based dishes paired with beers from 26 craft breweries. Zoe’s Meats is supplying the swine, and proceeds support Sprouts Cooking Club. Tickets are available online for $50-65, and they entitle you to beer and bacon samples. Just remember to share.

5) Chambers New Happy HourFive is the magic number at Chambers Eat + Drink, every Tuesday through Friday. Drop by for Happy Hour from 5 to 7 pm and enjoy $5 beers, $5 well drinks, and $5 wines, alongside a selection of $5 bar bites. Choose from a selection of five dishes, including Spanish olives with citrus, peppadew peppers and caperberries; Chicken Liver Pate with buttered leeks, quail egg and crostini; Smoked Grit Fries with early girl tomato aioli and barbecue spice; Housemade Tater Tots with pork remoulade and bacon dust; and Vadouvan Spiced Bar nuts. Chambers is located in the Phoenix Hotel, at 601 Eddy Street (@ Larkin).